-1.5mShortage of US managers able to analyze big data and make decisions based on findings.

£2.6bAmount NHS spends on temp staffing.

Independent contractors canbe reclassified by Irish courts.

more thoughts in print

First Things First: Are You Mature Enough for Global Expansion?

Staffing Industry Analysts | CWS 3.0: November 18, 2015

by Steve Knapp

One of the most popular topics around contingent workforce management has been expanding your contingent workforce program beyond its initial country, usually the United States. By all accounts, more and more programs are expanding geographically. The lessons learned from these efforts have been numerous, not least of which is that it is typically more complicated in other countries than wherever you started and that one-size-fits-all approach to the world does not work. But in our zeal to expand globally, I wonder if we haven’t forsaken other important dimensions of our programs.

Topic Highlight: Big Data

Talent Tech Labs: October, 2015

by Jason Ezratty

More Than a Trend — Big Data is Poised to Make a Bigger Impact

Big data has achieved celebrity status of late as a harbinger of a more empirically-optimized future. The applications within talent acquisition are profound, most specifically focusing on better and faster ways of aligning job opportunities and job seekers.

The previous wave in talent acquisition analytics has been about broadening the data set for visualization. Looking forward, the next phase will be focused on gaining depth of understanding. Expect the next generation of data software to enable businesspeople to focus on the business meaning resulting from data and statistics rather than requiring them to be statisticians themselves.

Conducting benchmarking initiatives? Be targeted.

Staffing Industry Analysts | CWS 3.0: February 11, 2015

By Kristen McArdle

Today benchmarking is pervasive and there are many initiatives in varying scope and scale. Few CW programs don’t benchmark performance. But it’s not as simple as comparing your program statistics to those of others. Benchmarking projects need to be targeted, rapidly executed and iterative.

"I was referred to someone with an excellent skill set who says they are an independent contractor, but my internal stakeholders disagree and now I can’t on-board them. Should I call a staffing agency? Do I create a deliverable-based statement of work? Where do I go for direction?”

If you’ve ever been in a situation like this, and like most clients we’ve worked with, decided to overlook cost or risk in favor of the path of least resistance, this article is for you.

Dipping Your Toes Into Talent Pools

Staffing Industry Analysts | CWS 3.0: January 13, 2016

by Elizabeth Slack

As more and more organizations are supplementing their workforce with contingent labor, the battle for quality talent has become increasingly competitive — and that can be costly to an organization in terms of project delays. For example, buyers are facing longer wait times before getting talent on board, and in some instances, turnover due to the need to replace underqualified contractors. Meanwhile, savvy buyers of contingent labor are avoiding some of these issues by diving head first into talent pools.

Data: Are you asking the right questions?

Staffing Industry Analysts | CWS 3.0: February 25, 2015

By Jason Ezratty

Program management often is likened to firefighting, requiring the type of urgency that demands immediate attention. Whether your fire consists of volatile stakeholders, unreasonable customers or dealing with the latest of some unforeseen exception case, the connotation is clear – nothing else can be dealt with until this fire is duly smothered. And so it comes as no surprise the primary reason program owners are unable to address bigger picture strategic needs is the unending demands of the ringing telephone, the urgent-flagged emails or the failed VMS FTP upload.

Contingent Worker Parity and Co-employment Risks

Be fair: Enforceable indemnification agreements will follow

CWS 3.0: November 5, 2014

By Bryan Peña and Christopher Minnick

Perhaps the most consistently sore point in contracting for staffing suppliers is overbroad (sometimes comically so, at least from their perspective) indemnification agreements they are forced to sign in order to do business with some clients.

Natural tie: Why your program should include services spend

CWS 3.0: October 1, 2014

By Sarah Koshiol

Based on recent studies, the top priority going forward for 80 percent of companies currently with an established VMS/MSP contingent workforce program, is to expand their program to include services spend.

The Dawn of Productivity-Based Billing

The Final Act: Will VMS fulfill buyer expectations while addressing supplier needs?

CWS 3.0: August 1, 2014

By Jason Ezratty

If the history of vendor management systems were to be played out in a movie, the opening scene would consist of a young, scrappy VMS being chased by angry, well-dressed stafﬁng companies who want VMS off their turf.

Why Annual Program Assessments Are a Must

CWS 3.0: July 17, 2013

By Christopher Minnick

With the U.S. temporary staffing market projected to grow 6 percent in 2013 to $105.3 billion and another 6 percent in 2014 to reach $111.5 billion, the industry is near its historical peak in terms of spend.

Pricing Payrolling Services

CWS 3.0: June 19, 2013

By Christopher Minnick

With an aging population and a shift toward flexible working relationships, companies are continuing to put resources toward building specialized programs designed specifically for older workers (e.g., “semi-retired”) in an effort to retain talent. Using third-party payrolling services is a common and effective way to engage these workers.